Somba-Siawari

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
bmu
Alternate Names
Bulum, Burum, Burum-Mindik, Mindik
Population

9,000 (2000 census). 5,500 Somba, 4,500 Siawari. 1,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 11,000.

Location

Morobe Province, Finschhafen district, Central Huon peninsula, south of Cromwell Range, Burum river valley and west slopes of Kuat river. 30 villages. 1,000 in Lae, scattered in Port Moresby.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Trans-New Guinea, Finisterre-Huon, Huon, Western
Dialects

Siawari, Somba. Lexical similarity: 92% with dialects.

Typology

SOV; postpositions.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], Kâte [kmg], Tok Pisin [tpi].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 80%. Literacy rate in L2: 80%–90%. 7,000 can read it, 6,000 can write it. 7 community schools. Taught in secondary schools. Dictionary. NT: 1996.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Somba-Siawari
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

‘Bulum’ is the Kâte [kmg] name for the Burum area. Christian, traditional religion.